Tuesday, March 6, 2012

I know the name Freddie Mitchell might elicit some laughs from hardcore NFL fans. If you're a Philadelphia Eagles fan you might get a stream of expletives. Mitchell, the former Eagles first round pick and receiver was a colossal bust, sans the playoff game against Minnesota during the Eagles' Super Bowl run.

Mitchell and two other people, Jamie Russ-Walls and Richard Walls, face federal charges in the case in Florida, in an indictment obtained by Fox 29.

The indictment filed by the U.S. attorney in Orlando, Fla., says a company set up by Mitchell, Chameleon Enterprises, was involved in the alleged scam.

The target of a scheme was a professional athlete with the initials A.G., who investigators said had no knowledge of the scheme, but paid for a firm connected with Mitchell to do his taxes.

According to the indictment, the plan was to file for false federal tax returns electronically.

Jamie Russ-Walls and Richard Walls allegedly filed the tax returns, claiming refunds ranging from $170,000 to $1.9 million. The two men also attached false documents to support the refund claims, the indictment says.

The men enlisted Mitchell to recruit professional athletes as tax-return customers.

That is something serious and Mitchell could wind doing some hard time if he's convicted of the charges. Mitchell might really have to become Fred X if he winds up having to do some time in the pokey.